My Simple Reflection: Of Work

The WORD today reminds me how important work is.

A lot of people love Pope Francis. And here in the Philippines, as we celebrate today Labor Day and the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, I am reminded of one of his quotes about work.

Work is fundamental to the dignity of a person. Work, to use an image, "anoints" us with dignity, fills us with dignity, makes us similar to God, who has worked and still works, who always acts.

And in another instance, he said that where there is no work, there is no dignity.

St Joseph is the chaste husband of Mary and the earthly foster father of Jesus. We celebrate two feasts on him - March 19 on being the husband of Mama Mary, and today on being a worker. We know little about him, but we know he is a good man, obedient to God, chaste and a hard worker. He worked hard as a carpenter to be able to provide for his family. And he served God by doing his best in his work and silently serving and loving his family.

God does not need grand gestures for him to know that we love him.

As human beings, it is very difficult to be like St Joseph. It is difficult to work silently for the Lord – people want to be praised and acknowledged. And more often than not, those who are loud are those who get attention. We sometimes think God is like that as well, that we need to do grand things for him to notice us. We think that we need to announce the good that we are doing so that others can affirm us and we sometimes equate that to God’s affirmation as well. God is not like us. He looks at the heart and it does not matter if we work silently – he still sees our hearts.

God is sensitive. He hears and sees what people cannot. He sees the quiet and sincere heart we have for Him, so we need not broadcast all the good we are doing for Him. People’s affirmation does not always mean God’s affirmation.

May we be inspired by St Joseph to work hard for our family, and work silently for the Lord... and follow God no matter how challenging the situation may be.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another day to rest from work. Thank you for giving me my work, for as Pope Francis said, it gives me my dignity to be able to decently provide for my family. Sorry for not giving it its due importance and for taking it for granted. Thank you for giving us St Joseph – a human being too but has the qualities of a great servant of God. I am sorry for the times I seek for human affirmation and recognition for the work I do for you. Sorry for the times I think that I need to get their attention in order to get yours. Lord, I ask that you give me a heart like St Joseph. May I never want praise and attention to myself, but work hard and silently to build your kingdom. May I be sensitive to others and put the welfare of others above my own, above my concern. In a special way, I lift up those who do not have work due to the covid pandemic. Continue to bless them and watch over them. I also lift up those who still have work despite the situation. May they realize how blessed they are to still have work, and do their best to be honest and do their work properly especially even if no one can check them. Amen.

Blessed Day!

In Christ,

-g-

May 01, 2020

Saint Joseph the Worker - Feast; St. Joseph the Worker

FIRST READING

Genesis 1:26B2:3

God said:

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground.”

God created man in his image;

in the divine image he created him; male and female he created them.

God blessed them, saying:

“Be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and all the living things that move on the earth.”

God also said:

“See, I give you every seed-bearing plant all over the earth and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit on it to be your food; and to all the animals of the land, all the birds of the air, and all the living creatures that crawl on the ground, I give all the green plants for food.” And so it happened. God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good. Evening came, and morning followed–the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed. Since on the seventh day God was finished with the work he had been doing, God rested on the seventh day from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation.

or:

Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23-24

Brothers and sisters:

Over all these things put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one Body. And be thankful. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that you will receive from the Lord the due payment of the inheritance; be slaves of the Lord Christ.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 90:2, 3-4, 12-13, 14 and 16